


EPISODE ONE: "The Dark I Know Well"

by gaypetersimmonds



Series: Skam Brighton: Season Two [2]
Category: Original Work, SKAM (Norway)
Genre: Canon Bisexual Character, Canon Character of Color, Canon Jewish Character, Canon Lesbian Character, Canon Trans Character, Episode 1, F/F, F/M, Gen, also they're doing grease!, fergalicious definition!, literally like 90-95 percent is different, liz's family babey!!!!, skam season 2, the pARTy babes!, tw for food stuff in chapter 2, we're back bitches!, yes i hate season 2 of skam YES i'm writing a remake of it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-07 01:26:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18228044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaypetersimmonds/pseuds/gaypetersimmonds
Summary: Liz Tudor is stressed out. Between studying for her GCSEs, her pressuring parents, stealing glances at girls across hallways and her friends never really understanding her, she has a lot on her plate.That's not even to mention everything going on inside her head.Liz just want perfection in everything - her grades, her looks, her life - and she'll get it, whether everyone likes it or not. However, James Cohen seems to like it a bit too much.FIRST CLIP: Milk Those Sexist Motherfuckers





	1. CLIP ONE: "Milk Those Sexist Motherfuckers"

**MONDAY, MARCH 25TH, 08:54**

 

_“Piano Sonata No. 9” by Wolfgang Mozart_ plays over shots of Brighton - just the city, sleek and polished buildings.

 

It then quickly cut through stills of bins full of rotting food, people throwing up outside parties, faceless people eating, quick shots of takeaway menus with large calorie numbers listed.

 

There’s a motion shot of someone sticking both hands into a cake, before cutting to two hands delicately playing the piano - continuing the song we’re already hearing.

 

INT. MUSIC ROOM

 

LIZ is playing with her eyes closed, several binders full of paper sitting on top of the piano, as the sheet music sits in front of her - covered in small, neat notes.

 

She hits a wrong note and she completely stops.

 

She takes a deep breath and starts again, a pained smile on her face, this time her eyes open, taking the music in.

 

She continues to play for a while, until the school bell rings, making her jump and knock the sheet music over.

 

She groans as she picks it back up, putting it back on the stand, ready to start again, but the door opens before she can - BRIANNA and RORI entering, BRIANNA on her phone and RORI in sports gear.

 

BRIANNA  
Fucking hell, do you see this shit?

 

She shows her phone to RORI and LIZ stands up, leaning over the piano to see an Instagram picture of JAKE and TARA kissing.

 

BRIANNA  
When’d they get together?

 

RORI  
Um…

 

There’s a pause as RORI thinks, and LIZ smiles, speaking fast.

 

LIZ  
Last weekend! I heard from Sandy that she, um… did things with him at a party, and now they’re together.

 

BRIANNA  
Seriously? You blow someone in a toilet one time and suddenly you’re dating? That’s news to me.

 

RORI  
Why do you care?

 

BRIANNA  
What? He’s cute. And so’s she.

 

RORI  
Yeah, she is! Him too. I mean, he's not really my type, he's so preppy, but... You know, you can appreciate the aesthetic.

 

LIZ nods, awkwardly looking away, as RORI gets out her phone and begins to scroll. She laughs and LIZ quickly looks at her.

 

LIZ  
What’s funny?

 

RORI  
Just James’s Insta story. Nothing really big. 

 

BRIANNA raises her eyebrows at RORI.

 

RORI  
It’s nice being just friends with someone, don’t you think? Not having to worry about all of that weird romantic shit. Like, it’s ridiculous, I’m so glad I’m single.

 

As she says the last sentence, ESTHER and SANDY enter, holding hands and smiling at each other, talking.

 

ESTHER  
Yeah, so then I said “I’m just here to see girls kicking balls, you can fuck off”.

 

They both laugh, leaning into each other, RORI watching them longingly.

 

LIZ clears her throat loudly and everyone looks at her, falling silent.

 

LIZ  
Thank you. Now, I know this meeting’s early, but it’s important. I have secured the rights to Grease!

 

She does jazz hands as no one really reacts.

 

ESTHER  
Did you get the high school edition?

 

LIZ  
High school edition? It’s already a show set in high school?

 

ESTHER  
Jesus Christ… 

 

ESTHER takes one of the binders - the one labelled “Theatre/Friendship Club” - and opens it.

 

ESTHER  
Okay. You got the actual version. With swearing and teen pregnancy and shit. Well, it’s probably better - everyone prefers this version. We can just… book a community theatre or something.

 

SANDY  
Yeah, I can look into that!

 

ESTHER smiles and bumps SANDY’s shoulder with her own.

 

SANDY  
But, um… Wouldn’t it be a bit weird to have teenagers wearing those skin tight clothes and singing about getting pregnant and  fucking and shit? 

 

LIZ  
No. The script says they’re teenagers, so actual teenagers doing it isn’t weird. Therefore, it isn’t wrong.

 

SANDY  
Isn’t it, um… [to ESTHER] what’s the word you always use? 

 

ESTHER  
Capitalist? Heteronormative? Anti feminist? Monarchist? Pro--

 

SANDY  
That’s it! Anti feminist! Like, Sandy does-- Not me Sandy, Grease Sandy. She does all of that sexualised shit and Danny does nothing! It’s not fair. We shouldn’t, like, give people money to promote that message.

 

LIZ  
She isn’t sexualised though? She’s just doing what he did - trying to fit in with the other’s crowd, There’s nothing sexual about it.

 

There’s a pause as ESTHER looks at LIZ like “come on”.

 

LIZ  
Anyways, I just called you all here to share the news.

 

ESTHER  
It’s good news! Good work, Liz. But I think we should take what Sandy said seriously.

 

LIZ  
[slightly bitter] Of course you do…

 

ESTHER  
It is a bit of a sexist show. But it’s also a good show, a recognisable show that would get us money. [pause] Shit, I don’t know anymore… 

 

There’s a short pause.

 

BRIANNA  
I say we milk those sexist motherfuckers for every penny we can get. We already have funds and shit, so now we can make money! We should do this!

 

RORI  
Yeah! It could be fun!

 

SANDY  
Okay, okay, you have a point. We’ll go for it.

 

LIZ  
Great! Great! I’m glad we’re all contributing, good! So Sandy’ll look into the theatres, and--

 

ESTHER  
I’ll help her.

 

There’s a pause as RORI and BRIANNA share a “oh they’re so coupley” look.

 

LIZ  
Okay… I’ll do some research on how to book a theatre and how to get costumes, sets, cast, et cetera. And Brianna and Rori…

 

BRIANNA  
We’ll chill until we’re needed.

 

RORI  
Sounds good.

  
  


BRIANNA and RORI high five.

 

LIZ  
Good! Great! Sandy, are you sure you’re, uh, cool with this? If not, it’s fine, I’m just wondering. I know that there’s this intense body pressure with costumes like that and shit, and it can be really hard for some people, so if you want to speak up, it’s totally cool.

 

SANDY  
Nah, I can’t decide shit like that. I didn’t even want to make friends or do theatre, I just joined to get to know Esther and Brianna.

 

RORI gasps, and clutches her heart dramatically.

 

SANDY  
[laughing] No! You too, Rori! You know I love you.

 

Everyone laughs, RORI looking relieved, as LIZ laughing fakely, looking down a bit.

 

The bell rings and everyone - bar LIZ - leaves, ESTHER leaving the binder back on the piano. 

 

LIZ sighs and puts all of her binders and sheet music into her open bag and hurries out after them.

 

As she opens the door and walks out, all of the stuff falls out of her bag, into a massive heap on the floor. She groans as the door slams shut, the screen going black.


	2. CLIP TWO: "Think About The Numbers"

**TUESDAY, MARCH 26TH, 16:18**

 

INT. FRONT HALL, LIZ’S HOUSE

 

_“I Want To Feel Alive” by The Lighthouse and The Whaler_ plays as LIZ walks into the house - a very fancy, upper middle class place - takes off her shoes and coat at the door, her earbuds in.

 

INT. OFFICE HALL

 

She walks down the hall, passing a row of chairs - one of them containing a nervous looking person.

 

She avoids looking at them, as she passes a door with a plaque on it saying “CHARLES TUDOR, PSYCHIATRIST”.

 

She looks to the other side of the hall, where there’s an identical row of chairs - this time with two people, sitting next to each other but looking adamantly away from each other.

 

The plaque on the door next to them says “VICTORIA TUDOR, SEXOLOGIST”.

 

The music continues as the people talk, muffled.

 

PERSON #1  
I just don’t see what the problem is!

 

PERSON #2  
Oh, you don’t?! You never look at me anymore, it’s like you don’t think I’m attractive!

 

PERSON #1  
Well…

 

They laugh awkwardly as their partner scoffs and turns away.

 

LIZ rolls her eyes and walks off, through a door with a plaque on it saying “FAMILY ONLY”.

 

PERSON #1  
I was just kidding!

 

INT. KITCHEN

 

LIZ puts her bag on one of the hooks on the bag of the door and walks into the kitchen, where an eleven-year-old girl - MARY - is sitting on a stool by the counter island, doing her homework.

 

LIZ takes her earbuds out and the music ends.

 

LIZ  
Hey Mary.

 

MARY  
[not looking up] Hi.

 

LIZ  
What’re you doing?

 

MARY  
Trigonometry. Dad said he would help, but… 

 

LIZ  
Yeah. I know.

 

There’s an awkward pause as MARY keeps working and LIZ looks around, desperate for conversation.

 

LIZ  
Do you want me to help?

 

MARY  
God, no! You’re worse than I am!

 

LIZ  
I got 98% on my last exam!

 

MARY  
Exactly. Not good enough.

 

LIZ laughs fakely as MARY grins smugly - it’s clear that this is their usual repertoire. 

 

MARY keeps working as LIZ goes to a cupboard and opens it, scanning it for something, biting her lip.

 

LIZ  
[muttering] No, no, no, no…

 

She pushes through various foods, brow furrowed, she can’t find what she’s looking for, until her face breaks out in a smile.

 

LIZ  
Yes!

 

She pulls out a box of pasta and wipes the ingredients list with her thumb five times.

 

She gets out a bowl and pours the box into it. But no pasta comes out.

 

LIZ  
Are you kidding me?!

 

She groans.

 

MARY  
Hormone alert!

 

MARY laughs to herself as LIZ glares at her.

 

LIZ  
Did you eat my pasta, brat?

 

MARY  
No, I don’t go near that weird shit.

 

LIZ  
Language!

 

MARY  
Sorry. I do not go near that weird  _ fucking  _ shit.

 

LIZ  
Mary. Come on.

 

MARY flips her off, giggling loudly, as LIZ grabs her box and walks to the door.

 

MARY  
What are you doing?

 

LIZ  
I need my pasta!

 

She storms out.

 

MARY  
Jesus fucking Christ… 

 

INT. OFFICE HALL

 

The chairs on VICTORIA’s side are now empty, as the one on CHARLES’s side remained filled. Another person in a BACA school uniform - NICK - walks down the hall, smiling, as LIZ storms in.

 

NICK  
Howdy Liz! 

 

LIZ  
Shut the fuck up!

 

NICK laughs sharply as she knocks on CHARLES’s door and walks in, not waiting for an answer.

 

INT. CHARLES’S OFFICE

 

A person is crying in a chair, CHARLES sitting across from them, as LIZ barges in.

 

CHARLES  
[sharply] Elizabeth. What are you doing?

 

LIZ  
Did you eat my pasta?

 

CHARLES  
I-- What?

 

LIZ  
Just answer.

 

CHARLES  
Elizabeth, this will have to wait until later.

 

LIZ  
Dad!

 

CHARLES  
Leave. We were just getting through to something. [to the CRYING PERSON] Now, about your drinking habits, I believe--

 

LIZ exits and slams the door, cutting CHARLES off.

 

INT. OFFICE HALL

 

NICK reclines on his seat as LIZ storms off, looking very pissed off.

 

NICK  
What’s got you all pissed?

 

LIZ  
Shut up, I don’t have time for this.

 

She starts to pace up and down the hall.

 

NICK  
I’ll help, with whatever it is.

 

LIZ  
You will?

 

NICK  
For a twenty.

 

LIZ  
I’m not fuelling your junkie addiction.

 

NICK gasps, fake offended.

 

NICK  
Your daddy said that saying things like that to me is “damaging to my mental health” and “can affect my recovery”.

 

LIZ  
Don’t call him that, Jesus…

 

NICK  
What? He’s hot.

 

The other waiting person snorts.

 

LIZ  
No! Fuck off, Nick!

 

NICK  
Okay, I was just saying…

 

LIZ looks at VICTORIA’s door and takes a deep breath.

 

NICK  
[in a bad David Attenborough voice] The wild Elizabeth gets ready to enter the kinky sex den. Whatever will she find?

 

LIZ flips him off and walks into VICTORIA’s office, not even knocking.

 

INT. VICTORIA’S OFFICE

 

The couple from before sit shirtless as VICTORIA sits across from them, looking sternly at LIZ as she enters.

 

LIZ  
Jesus!

 

She covers her eyes with her hands, peeking out to look at VICTORIA.

 

VICTORIA  
What do you want?

 

LIZ  
I just--

 

VICTORIA  
Can’t you see I’m in the middle of the meeting?

 

LIZ  
The--

 

VICTORIA  
Just be quick.

 

LIZ  
[quietly] Did you eat my pasta?

 

VICTORIA laughs.

 

VICTORIA  
Is that it? Jesus… No. I did not. Now get out.

 

LIZ nods and runs out, as the shirtless couple look at each other like “what the fuck was that?”.

 

INT. OFFICE HALL

 

NICK opens his mouth, but LIZ puts her finger on her lip, speed walking back into the kitchen.

 

INT. KITCHEN

 

MARY is still on the stool, still doing her homework.

 

MARY  
Is the grand mystery solved?

 

LIZ ignores her, putting the pasta box back on the shelf and looking at various other foods.

 

LIZ  
[muttering] It’s 131, so if I have a slice of buttered bread, that would be around 142, so I could just not eat as much at dinner, so it would still be 1600, so that would balance it out, that would be good, that would be--

 

MARY  
Liz!

 

LIZ looks up, snapping out of her state.

 

MARY  
Go to your room for a bit and calm down. Stop thinking about the numbers.

 

LIZ  
You sound like Dad.

 

MARY  
Yeah. Well, you’re lucky. He’s always on me to think  _ about  _ the numbers.

 

They both laugh a little, but there's a hint of sadness. There's a pause as they look at each other, silent.

 

LIZ gets her bag off of the door hook and exits out a different door, leaving MARY to sigh, alone.


	3. CLIP THREE: "Strong And Independent"

**WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27TH, 12:12**

 

INT. CANTEEN

 

The GIRL SQUAD sit at a table together, LIZ with a binder in front of her.

 

LIZ  
Okay, we should start talking about when we’re going to have auditions and rehearsals and the actual show. And also what roles we ourselves will play in the production. I mean, not just acting, but like, backstage or band or set or… something? We’re all, um, very different girls with, uh, unique talents, but it’s important that we stay strong and independent, yeah? So, to discuss better, we should have an official club meeting on Friday.

 

She smiles, finished. No one says anything, the other girls just nodding along.

 

LIZ  
It won’t be serious, though! We can… have it at my house! We can chill, maybe drink a little. It’s been so long since we all hung out, just us girls.

 

RORI  
Yeah! I don’t really care about this shit, but it sounds fun.

 

LIZ smiles genuinely and nods quickly.

 

LIZ  
Absolutely!

 

BRIANNA  
I have this party my friend from my old school, Michelle, is throwing, so…

 

LIZ  
Oh… But you could miss it?

 

BRIANNA shrugs.

 

ESTHER  
As much as I would like to, Liz, I have a date on Friday, so...

 

ESTHER smiles at SANDY, who smiles back, laughing a little.

 

LIZ  
Oh. Um… Fun!

 

ESTHER  
Yeah, it is.

 

She leans in to kiss SANDY on the lips, but SANDY turns away deliberately, making ESTHER kiss her on the cheek awkwardly.

 

BRIANNA and RORI exchange a look at this, RORI then looking past BRIANNA at something off screen.

 

LIZ  
Um, okay. So we’ll reschedule?

 

RORI  
[talking over LIZ] Did you know that James got into a fight last weekend?

 

LIZ turns to look at JAMES, who’s sitting with NICK and THEO, looking angsty.

 

BRIANNA  
[sighs] Go off?

 

RORI  
It was this kid in sixth form, who was apparently being a racist dick to him, so he completely destroyed them, they’re in A & E, I heard.

 

LIZ  
What do you mean, “racist”? He’s white.

 

RORI, SANDY and BRIANNA sigh.

 

ESTHER  
No, Liz.

 

RORI  
He’s Middle Eastern.

 

LIZ looks uncomfortably down.

 

LIZ  
Oh, uh… I didn’t know.

 

BRIANNA  
Shocker.

 

There’s an awkward pause.

 

RORI  
Um, I think it was very sensitive of him to stand up for himself.

 

SANDY  
Do we _have_ to talk about him? Again? No offence, it’s just… He reminds me a lot of Bryan, so…

 

RORI  
It’s okay. While Bryan is a complete douchebag, James just seems like a fuckboy, but he’s actually really sweet.

 

ESTHER  
[sarcastically] Giving you an STI. Real sweet.

 

RORI  
That’s just… water under the bridge! I got over it! Besides, I was talking about his really sweet apology. Do you remember?

 

ESTHER  
[muttering] No, but I have a feeling we’re going to hear it again.

 

RORI laughs nervously, pausing for a second.

 

RORI  
He said he was sorry for acting like a dick - when he didn’t - and he said that I was more than pretty enough! And genuinely, really cool!

 

SANDY  
Yeah, and you are. And you don’t need some guy to tell you that. Besides, he’s totally random, like, he walked up to Liz and--

 

LIZ glares at SANDY to shut up, and SANDY stops talking.

 

RORI  
Walked up to Liz and then what?

 

SANDY  
Um, just… She completely shut him down, it was, uh… cool.

 

RORI weakly laughs.

 

RORI  
Yeah…

 

LIZ  
What’s wrong?

 

RORI  
Nothing…

 

LIZ  
Rori. Come on. You have to get over him! He’s the most unsympathetic, selfish, self absorbed person in this country, nay, this world. No one should ever touch him.

 

RORI  
You don’t know him like I do! You heard what he said to me the week of the light switch on!

 

SANDY  
How long are we going to talking about December? It’s almost April, come on.

 

ESTHER looks down.

 

LIZ  
Just because he apologised for being an asshole, doesn’t change the fact that he was an asshole.

 

WREN [O.S.]  
Knock knock!

 

Everyone else groans silently, as LIZ smiles, as they turn to WREN and JORDAN, both looking as smiley and as emotionless as usual.

 

WREN  
Hi! We just wanted to invite you to a party on Friday night!

 

LIZ looks at JORDAN.

 

LIZ  
Oh?

 

WREN  
Yeah! We’re going to be showing off some of our artwork from the club and having a get together, and you five were requested to come.

 

ESTHER  
What? By who?

 

JORDAN  
James Cohen. He was really insistent on it.

 

RORI looks at the other girls like “See! He is nice!”

 

LIZ  
Um, I don’t know.

 

BRIANNA  
Yeah! That sounds good! I could go there before Michelle’s and you two [she points at ESTHER and SANDY] could go there as your date or whatever. We could, like, have our meeting as a pre-drink or something! Make it fit!

 

There’s a pause.

 

ESTHER  
That is the first time you have ever done something serious for the club.

 

BRIANNA  
Excuse me, I gave you all advice on how to be popular.

 

ESTHER  
I repeat, something serious. That’s a really good idea, I’m down!

 

RORI  
Yeah, absolutely!

 

ESTHER  
Sandy, babe?

 

SANDY winces.

 

ESTHER  
Shit, sorry, I didn’t--

 

SANDY  
It’s fine. It’s fine! Just… That sounds good. Fun.

 

LIZ  
Girls! Aren’t we meant to be strong and independent? Doing our own work?

 

RORI  
We can be strong and independent at the art party!

 

WREN  
The p- _ART_ -y!

 

She laughs loudly.

 

JORDAN  
Nice one.

 

LIZ laughs a little at that.

 

LIZ  
But, um, seriously. Are we going to drop out plans just because a guy calls?

 

WREN stops smiling.

 

WREN  
I’m not a guy. I’m a girl.

 

LIZ  
I meant James.

 

WREN sighs with relief, rubbing her thumb over the trans pride pin on her blazer. LIZ looks at it in confusion, but quickly makes her face neutral when WREN looks at her.

 

ESTHER  
Um… I think we would be good to go, yeah? We’ll have the meeting first, then the party, then Brianna can do her thing! That sound good?

 

LIZ nods, looking defeated. She looks at JORDAN, who looks back at her blankly, before walking away with WREN.

 

LIZ looks over to JAMES, who’s looking at her. He waves briefly, smiling politely.

 

She rolls her eyes and looks back the girls again, RORI smiling widely and waving frantically back at JAMES.


	4. CLIP FOUR: "Prefer To Receive Them"

**THURSDAY, MARCH 28TH, 17:38**

 

INT. OFFICE HALL

 

LIZ walks out of the kitchen and down the empty hall, holding a folder of sheet music, humming _“Summer Nights”_ to herself.

 

NICK steps out of CHARLES’s office, chuckling to himself.

 

NICK  
Hey Liz! Did you find your oh so precious pasta?

 

LIZ stops, takes a deep breath and turns to him.

 

LIZ  
No.

 

NICK  
Aw, this is so sad. Alexa, play--

 

LIZ  
Stop, that joke is so old.

 

NICK laughs to himself as LIZ walks on. He runs up to her.

 

NICK  
Heard you’re going to the p- _ART_ -y tomorrow.

 

LIZ  
Unfortunately. Why do you bring it up?

 

NICK  
Conversation. My parents aren’t getting here until six, and they’re the only reason I’m here, so…

 

LIZ  
I have piano.

 

NICK  
Oh. Cool.

 

He sits down in one of the waiting chairs.

 

LIZ sighs and sits next to him.

 

LIZ  
Just for a minute, okay? Just because I pity you. And… Because I need your help with something.

 

NICK wiggles his eyebrows at her and she scoffs.

 

LIZ  
Jesus Christ.

 

NICK  
Will I be paid for this?

 

LIZ  
[ignoring him] So, I have this friend. Rori.

 

NICK  
Yeah, I know her.

 

LIZ  
She’s… She has this crush on this guy who’s a dick, so I was thinking you could just… flirt with her a little, get her mind off of him.

 

NICK laughs and LIZ sighs.

 

LIZ  
I know you’re gay, but--

 

NICK  
[still laughing] What? I’m not gay.

 

LIZ  
You literally talk about the various guys you… you know, like, all the time.

 

NICK  
Yeah. ‘Cause I’m bi.

 

LIZ laughs.

 

LIZ  
Okay, sure.

 

NICK  
Why are you laughing? This isn’t even one of my many clever jokes.

 

LIZ  
Everyone knows guys who say they’re bi are just gay.

 

NICK  
Oh my fucking God… Elizabeth. Sweet, ignorant, stupid, bitchy Elizabeth. I like multiple genders. That’s a thing people can do.

 

LIZ  
I know that! Mum never shuts up about it. The amount of times I’ve walked in on her and some woman, honestly, it’s ridiculous.

 

NICK looks a mix of horrified and intrigued.

 

NICK  
Well, uh… I can flirt with her, if you want. Even if I set off her gaydar or whatever.

 

LIZ  
Please, she’s so naive, she barely even realises Sandy and Esther are… gal pals, you know.

 

NICK  
[sarcastic] Wow, that’s so progressive. But seriously, I’ll do it. [pause] For fifty quid.

 

LIZ  
Fifty?!

 

NICK  
Forty nine ninety-nine.

 

LIZ  
Nick, I swear to God, I will tell your parents you do coke, so you’ll be in here every day!

 

NICK doesn’t answer, laughing guiltily.

 

LIZ  
Just… Twenty?

 

NICK  
Sounds sexy.

 

LIZ looks at him like “what the fuck?” and gets up.

 

LIZ  
Okay. Come by at seven, okay? You could… be giving us a ride or something.

 

NICK  
I don't really like giving rides, I prefer to receive them, if you know what I mean.

 

LIZ groans as she walks away, leaving NICK laughing.


	5. CLIP FIVE: "Girl Crush"

**FRIDAY, MARCH 29TH, 19:02**

 

INT. KITCHEN

 

The GIRL SQUAD are sitting in the kitchen, SANDY, ESTHER, BRIANNA and RORI all sitting down as LIZ stands beside a whiteboard covered in neat handwriting about musicals and budgets and such. There are half empty glasses of wine on the table.

 

SANDY and ESTHER are looking at something on ESTHER’s phone as RORI holds a top up to her chest, BRIANNA inspecting it.

 

LIZ  
Guys…

 

RORI  
So it’s a nice and neat down here, but as it goes up, it gets a little more adventurous, yeah?

 

BRIANNA  
The one you have on is fine, though.

 

RORI  
Well… I think I’m going to sleep with James tonight, so--

 

ESTHER groans and looks at her.

 

ESTHER  
Rori. Come on.

 

BRIANNA  
At least use a condom this time, if you do.

 

RORI laughs nervously as LIZ sighs, writing another note on the board.

 

BRIANNA  
[to ESTHER and SANDY] What about you two, huh?

 

SANDY  
What about us?

 

BRIANNA  
Have you two…

 

BRIANNA makes a clicking sound with her tongue as RORI giggles, SANDY looks scandalised and ESTHER laughs nervously.

 

LIZ pulls her phones out of her pocket and texts NICK “If you’re not here in the next minute, I will make you you pay me £20.”

 

ESTHER  
No. We have not.

 

SANDY  
Why would we? It’s just… yeah… 

 

There’s an awkward pause as ESTHER laughs, hurt.

 

LIZ  
So… Shall we talk about the show?

 

BRIANNA downs a random glass of wine.

 

BRIANNA  
Liz. No offence. But nobody really wants to do that.

 

ESTHER  
Let’s just chill tonight, yeah?

 

LIZ  
But you said--

 

RORI  
Liz. Please.

 

LIZ nods, defeated, and wipes the whiteboard clean as the girls chat.

 

RORI  
I’m kind of worried about James though. What if he wants to go down on me?

 

BRIANNA  
No British guy would ever go down on a girl. They just expect us to be sucking dick all the time, while they get off scot free, it's bullshit.

 

RORI  
Yeah… Does it hurt?

 

BRIANNA  
Wouldn't know.

 

ESTHER  
It’s really nice. 

 

Everyone looks at her in shock, BRIANNA laughing, impressed.

 

ESTHER  
What? This girl in Berlin went down on me, it was… yeah.

 

SANDY nods, a bit uncomfortable.

 

BRIANNA  
God, I wish that were me dot jpeg.

 

She and ESTHER high five.

 

There’s not enough seats for LIZ to sit down next to them, so she awkwardly hovers near them.

 

LIZ  
Did you know that it’s scientifically proven that if you go down on your partner, they’re more likely to stay with you?

 

There’s a pause as everyone looks at her.

 

LIZ  
My mum, she’s always on about that stuff, it’s so weird.

 

RORI  
Yeah, she once told me the five fail safe ways to do anal. It was… an event.

 

SANDY  
[horrified] Jesus Christ.

 

BRIANNA  
[excited] When can I meet this woman?

 

NICK walks in, looking like he’s trying to be cool, but is failing.

 

NICK  
‘Sup?

 

BRIANNA  
Hey dick.

 

NICK  
Hey girl.

 

LIZ gives him a look of “Dude, come on”. NICK nods and stands next to RORI, trying to lean against the counter but slipping.

 

NICK  
Uh, hey.

 

RORI  
[giggling] Hi.

 

NICK  
Uh… [laughs nervously] Come here often?

 

ESTHER, SANDY and BRIANNA all laugh together and whispers variations of “what the fuck?”.

 

RORI  
Yeah, it’s my best friend’s house?

 

NICK  
[still laughing] Yeah, yeah… I know.

 

RORI  
You’re James’s friend, right? Nick?

 

NICK  
Yeah. Nikolai’s my full name, but Nick for short.

 

RORI  
Cool. Very Scandinavian.

 

There’s a short awkward pause.

 

ESTHER  
So what are you doing here? No one invited you.

 

NICK  
I’m here to give you ladies a ride to the party!

 

BRIANNA  
Hell yeah!

 

NICK  
Now, let’s get these drinks to go and take this party on the road! Well, it isn’t really a party, but now that I’m here…

 

He winks at RORI, who giggles again, as _“Fergalicious” by Fergie & Will.I.Am_ starts to play. NICK looks at LIZ like “See! I can do it!”.

 

EXT. STREET

 

The song continues as the GIRL SQUAD and NICK drive in slow motion down the road, the GIRLS dancing along to the song, looking iconic and beautiful.

 

NICK drives, bopping along, shimmying his shoulders. He smiles at RORI and puts an arm around her as she throws her arms up.

 

ESTHER and SANDY dance together, SANDY pulling away slightly, laughing as ESTHER laughs along.

 

BRIANNA’s just having the time of her life, swaying around with a wine bottle in her hand.

 

LIZ watches, laughing, looking a bit detached from the situation, but she’s still smiling, still dancing.

 

INT. ART PARTY

 

_“Dream A Little Dream Of Me” by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong_ plays as the GIRL SQUAD and NICK enter the party, which has pretentious art all over the walls and students standing around, holding glasses of wine, pretending to be older than they are.

 

BRIANNA  
[sarcastic] Well, this is fun.

 

ESTHER  
Oh my God, I think that’s something inspired by Keith Haring.

 

SANDY  
[doesn’t know who that is] Oh, yeah!

 

ESTHER  
Let’s go look!

 

She drags SANDY over to the left of the room.

 

RORI  
Who’s that?

 

NICK  
He’s this gay artist from New York in the eighties, or something. Did stuff about the AIDS crisis.

 

RORI  
Oh, cool. It’s cool that you keep up with all that stuff, not many, you know, gay people are smart.

 

NICK laughs, sighing.

 

NICK  
I’m not gay! For the hundredth time! I’m not smart, but I’m not gay! And that’s a harmful stereotype! Or something, I don’t know, I’m not smart!

 

He grabs a drink from one of the waiter’s plates and downs it, walking off.

 

RORI  
Shit.

 

She walks quickly after him, saying that she’s sorry.

 

BRIANNA  
This is just going perfectly.

 

LIZ  
Yeah. Bet you wish you were at your friend’s party.

 

BRIANNA  
Nah. Where else would I see art of a dog with… is that kiwi fruit fur? Jesus Christ.

 

LIZ  
[laughing] Yeah, it’s weird.

 

BRIANNA  
And it’s all so angsty, you know? I mean, how many more paintings do we need of some thin girl looking at scales or a tape measure or whatever all sad? It’s boring.

 

LIZ nods, still nervously laughing, as a group of guys walk past. One of them stops, smiling at BRIANNA.

 

GUY  
Hi.

 

BRIANNA  
Hi?

 

GUY  
How about me and you head somewhere private and you sit on my face?

 

BRIANNA  
Why? Is your nose bigger than your dick?

 

LIZ snorts as the GUY scoffs.

 

GUY  
Slut.

 

The GUY walks back to his friends.

 

BRIANNA  
And with that, I’m gonna get a drink. You coming?

 

LIZ  
I think I’ll take a look around. [posh voice] Admire the culture.

 

BRIANNA  
Have fun with that.

 

BRIANNA walks off, as the song changes to _“Girl Crush” by Little Big Town_ and LIZ walks up to a dark painting of someone asleep, with hand prints all over their body.

 

She looks very intrigued by it, stepping closer to inspect it.

 

She puts a hand to her stomach, in the same position of the painting, a realisation dawning on her face.

 

She reads the small label beside it “‘The Dark I Know Well’ by J”.

 

She looks around the room for a bit, the camera lingering on RORI and NICK talking calmly, BRIANNA rolling her eyes and ESTHER and SANDY standing together, laughing.

 

She then sees JORDAN in one of the corners, talking happily with JAMES. She stares at them for a while.

 

She snaps out of her trance, confused.

 

She then turns back to the painting, her - and the camera - focusing on it.

 

_ CUT TO END CREDITS AS THE SONG CONTINUES _

 

_ CUT TO BLACK _


End file.
